Hajj scam: SC rejects FIA report

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry slams the FIA for wasting time; says report is ‘not transparent’.

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday rejected the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) investigation report regarding irregularities in Hajj arrangements. Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry slammed the FIA for wasting time and said its report was “not transparent.” He added that influential people are involved in the scandal.

A six-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry heard the suo motu case, while Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul-Haq presented the FIA’s progress report into the case.

The court was told that Javed Ali Shah has replaced Director FIA General Waseem Ahmed as the inquiry officer on its orders. The Supreme Court had earlier directed the government to remove Waseem Ahmed from his post after he had requested the government to relieve him of duty as he had failed to call five secretaries for investigation.

The court heard that a Grade 21 police officer, Syed Jawed Ali Shah Bukhari, has been appointed as head of the investigation team.

Bukhari is a regular officer of the police service and would be subservient to the FIA DG according to the notification. “He has not been invested with the authority to probe the case. He should first be inducted in the FIA,” the chief justice remarked.

Bukhari also expressed reservations over his assignment. He said he had taken up the matter with the concerned officials because without being a member of the FIA, he would not be able to deliver.

The Chief Justice pointed out that IG Sindh, Sultan Salahuddin Babar Khattak, has also been appointed on contract while expressing concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi where around 75 people have been killed in the month of January alone.

“Was the IGP Sind given a contract for murder in Karachi?” the CJP inquired. He blamed lack of command for the worsening law and order situation in Karachi. When such sensitive posts are filled on contract, issues of command and control come up like in Karachi.

“The OGDCL MD has his contract renewed every year when people can’t get gas in the country,” Justice Ramday remarked in a lighter vein.

Junior officers should be promoted instead of appointing people on contract on sensitive posts. The chief justice directed the AGP to enlighten the government.

Afnan Kundi the counsel of former minister for Science and Technology Azam Khan Swati, apprised the court that no arrests have been made by the FIA to date in the Hajj debacle.

“The investigation is based on mala fide intentions,” Justice Fayyaz observed. Why have the accounts of the accused not been frozen as yet?”

Director Legal, FIA, Azam Khan told the court that the statement of Zain Sukhera, a friend of prime minister’s son Abdul Qadir Gilani have been recorded.

Justice Ramday observed that the court would not permit the protection of the accused. “We were waiting for the government to initiate action. We will now take action and remove the officials.”

Religious Affairs Secretary Shaukat Hayat Durrani informed the court that letters have been sent to all 26,000 pilgrims for reimbursement of 700 Saudi riyals per person through 18,000 branches of six banks. The court adjourned the case till January 27.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21st, 2011.